Cathy Isom let’s us know why our backyard gardens are not only good for growing our dinner, it could help the environment, too. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.
Gardens Good for Climate
Having a back yard can be good for climate change. Researchers from U-C Santa Barbara discovered that for every kilogram of vegetables you grow yourself, you’re reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2 kilograms, compared to buying from the store.
Interestingly, their study also found that composting at home didn’t necessarily calculate to greenhouse gas savings. Unless very carefully maintained, methane and nitrous oxide emitted from decomposing compost could throw off the goal of reducing emissions, so a better option would be to send organic waste to a processor that captures those gases to use for power.
The study’s conclusion states that while gardening can definitely have a beneficial environmental effect over store-bought produce with all the transportation and infrastructure that comes along with retail, what really matters is how dense your garden is, what type of water you’re using and how you monitor your compost. Their findings – published in the journal Landscape and Urban Planning.